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What Grantees Want: Championing Your Partners and Their Work
Funders and grantees share a relationship that goes beyond just financial support—it’s built on mutual respect, trust, and collaboration to create meaningful change. One powerful but often overlooked way funders can strengthen this relationship is by actively championing their grantee partners. Feedback from our Grantee and Applicant Perception Surveys (GAPS) shows that grantees want funders... Read More
The Case for Funding Collaboratives
While the U.S. Census happens only once per decade, New York State is already working to build the nonprofit infrastructure for a successful 2030 count. This effort is led by the New York State Census Equity Fund — a group formed in 2017 by a coalition of funders who came together to create a statewide,... Read More
Key Insights from the 2024 Foundation Operations and Management Report
Exponent Philanthropy is proud to release the latest edition of the Foundation Operations and Management Report (FOMR). This premier benchmarking resource offers mission-critical statistics on grantmaking, boards and governance, investments, and administration—including salary and benefits—for foundations with few or no staff. This blog has an interesting or important finding from each section of our 2024 report.... Read More
Moving Towards Racial Equity in Philanthropy: Developing a Shared Language
Philanthropy relies on the amassed wealth of families and institutions that have benefited from systemic racism. As a result, the institution has a power imbalance in where funds go and what organizations and initiatives receive support. Developing a deeper understanding of institutional racism in the United States can help lean funders dismantle the harmful practices... Read More
Connect More: How Lean Funders Develop Knowledge and Relationships to Catalyze Change on Priority Issues
How can foundation leaders best advance their focus areas? By developing extensive knowledge and insight. Leanly-staffed foundations hold a wealth of diverse connections with people in their communities, and they can leverage these relationships to gain knowledge and expertise. Insight helps these leaders identify gaps and solutions and address key issues in the smartest ways.... Read More
The Foundation Data Dilemma: On Making and Measuring Change
Since attending and presenting at Exponent Philanthropy’s 2023 Annual Conference in October, I’ve spent some time reflecting on how foundations and non-profits relate to one another and engage in social change. In particular, I’ve been thinking about the challenges grant-makers experience in understanding and demonstrating the ‘difference’ they make. In my own session and in... Read More